Air-deflecting device



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

3.11TML0R.` AIB. DBPLEGTING DEVICE.

No. 509,337. Patented Nov. l21, 1393.

UNITED TATES PATENT Gratos.,

BENJAMIN F. TAYLOR, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

AIR-DEFLECTING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 509,337, dated November 21, 1893. .A vpplicationled December 12,1892. Serial Nn.454,876. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that l, BENJAMIN F. TAYLOR.,- a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Detlecting and Pressure-Relieving Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying draw ticularly for bicycle riders, and in the arrange-` ments and combinations of parts, all substantially as will be hereinafter set forth and Iinally embodied in the clauses of `theclaim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in each of the several views, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the pneumatic detlector in a form at present preferred. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 illustrates a preferred construction in which certain deilecting plates or slats are removable in rela` tion to the body of the garment or device.

Figs. 4 and 5 are side and end views of saidplates or slats, and Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate another modification or variety in which the deflecting surfaces are formed up out of a single plate of material having the necessary stiness, such as metal, Celluloid and the like.

In said drawings, a indicates what may be termed'a backing, foundation, body support, 0r carrier for the deliecting Vplates or slats.

-This may be in the. form of a breast plate or garment adapted to cover the chest or fore part` of aperson ridingpon a bicycle or other vehicle the opposite sides of the plate being bent or turned backward from the center as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 2. Said body or breast plate or garment may be provided with a neck strap, b, adapted to be placed around the wearers neck and to. support the shield or breast plate,and with back straps, c, for securing said device at the back of the rider or wearer. The shield'or breast plate is preferably of flexible material but 5o it may be of rigid material, and it serves to protect the body from the air currents which tend to reduce the temperature of the front of the body to a degree injurious to the rider.

In front of the said body portion are secured delectors d, d, by means of which the airis easily turned aside so as to reduce the resist'- ance occasioned bya dead pressure. Said deflectors are inclined to the line of motion of the rider or moving body and the inclines are 7o on opposite sides of the garment. These deflectors maybe formed and arranged in many different ways without departing fromthe spirit or scope of this invention and 1 consider the three varieties illustrated in Figs.

1, 3 and 6 sufcient for the purposes of this description of the invention, although I am fully aware that the construction may widely vary therefrom.

In the construction shown in Figs. l and 2, 8o

the breast plate is shown to be in two over lapping sections buttoned, laced or otherwise joined together at the front and at the sides are arranged the series of deliecting plates or slats CZ, el, composed of leather, cloth, oil-cloth 8 5 or other sti material of suitable lightnessall;`l

and preferably7 of suflicient liexibil'ity-to'enable the same to be rolled up when not in use and to be comparatively easy u'pon the person. The said plates or slats are carried 9o and heldin proper relation by vertical ribs, f, of wire, whalebone, or the like, which may be disposed at the longitudinal edge of the plate or slat as shown, or through the center of said plate; the said ribs serving to hold the plates or slats apart at the edges toward the center of the device so as to form longi. tudinal and vertical slots, c, through which air passes. The ribs maybe integrally formed on ithe plates as in Fig. 2 and may in that rolo case form hollow sockets to receive pins, lc, Fig. 3 at the opposite ends of the deilecting plates, the pins being formed or secured on the backing a. The air, striking against the defiecting plates, is turned laterally and enters through the longitudinal openings between said deiiecting plates and forms between said plates or slats and the body portion a lateral current, which accelerates in speed toward the sides because of the repeated additions of force from the successivev openings and produces a suction which will tend to draw the air from the dead center at the front of the rider toward the sides and relieve the rider or the moving vehicle of the resistance.

I may make the deecting plates or slats removable as in Fig. 3 in which case the said deflecfting plates or slats may be stretched over a wire frame, i, which latter may have loops or eyes, j, adapted to be arranged on pins, 7c, on the body. Said plates or slats may however be removably secured to the body in any .other suitable manner. The series of deilecting plates or slats may be formed in or of one integral piece, as in Figs. 6 and 7 and this piece may be permanently or removably secured in front of the body portion.

When the defleeting plates or slats are removed from the body of the shield, the latter serves alone as a protector `from the air and to prevent the said shield from overheating the body of the rider, the same is held away fromthe rider by a stay projection Z, Fig. 2, of any suitable kind or material.

The series of plates-d, cl, d, integrally connected or otherwise as above described and arranged at an inclination to the direction of move-ment of the vehicle, are preferably in two series, extending oppositely from a forwardcenter and thus forming a -shaped de fiector, adapted toV force the wind or air toward the opposite sides of the vehicle and relieve the vehicle of a dead pressure as will be well understood.

In operating the device in connection with a bicycle rider, the shield or protector is strapped on or suspended from the body, the deflectifng platesv or slats lying at the front and being inclined oppositely from the center of the garment, so that the air is directed through the slots, c, with considerable force and forms a current under said plates or slats, the forceof which tends to produce a vacuum at the center anddraw the dead air from said center, relieving the rider of the pressure or resistance thereof, all as will be understood.

I am aware that slats have been employed in connectionl with windows of steam-boats and like vessels, at the bow thereof, and I do not claim anything of that kind broadly, butso fa-r as I am aware, these windows have had theslats disposed horizontally and the longitudinal extension has been in the directionzof movement of the boat, and again these slatshave been employed for other purposes than those herein referred to, and have not been arranged in front of a solid or imperforate surface with outlets to allow passage to the deiiected air, but have been arranged before open Windows or closed windows in such a way as to produce no draft suction, or vacuum such as may be utilized for useful purposes. In the present case, the series of slats arranged in connection with the rear plate, a., of the moving object, produces a draft' behind the slats of considerable force, which, moving in a direction away from the center or point of greatest resistance tends to produce a vacuum. As a result, the dead resisting air, which tends to impede movement, is drawn to one side relieving the object of retarding pressure. The air currents flowing between the inclined plates or slats, and the plate, a, when thev pressure relieving device is used in connection with other than bicycle riding, may be used for any purpose desired, the velocity of the current rendering it valuable for many purposes.

Having thus described'the invention, whatclaim as new isl. The air deiiector which consists of a rear plate, d, and a series of deiiecting plates se'- cured at a distance/from said rear plate and at an angle thereto and having a series of inlet openings between said deflecting plates and a passage for the air between said series of deflecting plates andthe rear plate and an outlet for the air from said passage, substantially as. and for the purposes setA forth.

2. The air deector herein described which consists of a rear plate and series of deiecting.

plates inclined oppositely on opposite sides of the center of they deilector and having. series of openings between said deflecting platesand passages between the' series of deiiecting plates and the rear plate, and outlets for the' air from said passages, all substantially as set forth.

3. The improved deflecting garment or shield comprising a rear plate turnedba'ckwardly at opposite ends to conform more or less closely to the body of theuser, and oppo-` sitely inclined deiecting plates disposed in front of the said rear plate and a little away therefrom to form a passage between said de= fleeting plates andthe rear plate,lthe saidde'- fleeting garment or shield being removable from said body and being provi-ded withV means for holding said deflecting plates to gether and upon the rear plate and for hold'- ing the deflecting garment or shield upon the body of the user, substantially as set forth.

4:. The improved defleetor combining therein, with the rear plate, a series of d'eiiecting plates held away from saidV rear plate' and having openings between themand having longitudinal ribs for holding the sa-idplates in position at an inclination tothe direction of motion of the deflector,substan-tiallyas-setV forth.

5. The improved defl'ector for bicycle riders, combining therein with thel sectional rear plate, the sections of whichareadap't'ed to be united when on the rider, a series-ofdeflectingplates disposed apart fromoneanother and from. the rear plate and suitably heldin place thereon, substantially as set forth.

IOO

IIO

6. In combination with the rear platel and means for holding the same in position upon a body, means for holding said rear plate away from said body to admit of a flow of air 5 between, series of dellecting plates arranged in front of and away from said rear plate in inclined positions and at the ends bound t0 said rear plate by suitable binding, substantially as set forth. n

7. Theimproved air deflecting and pressure relieving device for riders, vehicles and similar moving objects, in which is combined with a rear plate, series of front plates arranged apart or away from said rear plate and connected thereto, one series being at an angle to the other series to form a -shaped 'deiiecton the said detlector plates having BENJAMIN TAYLOR. l

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, OSCAR A. MICHEL. 

